Constructional toy.



L. REES. CONSTRUCTIONAL TOY. APPLICATION FILED ocr. I1. 1914.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Inventor L. REES.

. CONSTRUCTIONAL TOY. APPLICATION FILED on 17, I914.

Patented Apr. 25, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Witnesses:

Inventor v m @LWM LEON ldililES, .OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

CONSTRUCTIONAIJ TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patentgd Apr, 25, I916.

Application filed October 17, 1914;. Serial No. 867,138.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEON REEs, a subject of the King of Great Britain,residing at London, England, have invented certain newand usefulImprovements in Construcassembled at will.

Now my invention consists in the construction of plates or equivalentshaving two or more opposite curled spring edges or walls, so'constructedand positioned as to engage and hold flat strips when placed betweensuch curled spring edges or walls and engaging the outer surfaces ofsuch curls, or for engaging and holding rods or their equivalent withinthe curls or both whether such devices are employed singly or inmultiple or in conjunction with plates or devices to which they arefixed or pivot ally connected together, or connected together by wiresor otherwise.

The annexeddrawings clearly show the articles in single and combinedform.

Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of a clip shown holding one strip ofmetal. Fig. 2 is a perspective elevation and an edge view of a clipshown holding two strips of metal at right angles to each other. Fig. 3is a perspective elevation and an edge view of two clips constructed asshown at Fig.1 and riveted together, the rivet forming a pivot pin. Fig.4: is aside view and a top view of two clips formed in one piece and ofright-angled formation. Fig. 5 is a side' view of two clips pivotallyriveted to a right angled piece of metal. Fig. 6 is a' face new of anumber of clips constructed as in Fig. 1 and pivotally riveted to astrip of metal. Fig. 7 is a face view of a strip of metal formed With anumber of curled edges or clips. Fig. 8 is a view of a number of clipsconstructed as in Fig. 1 connected together by rods passing through thecurled portions. Fig. 9 is an edge view of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is aperspective elevation of a number of clips constructed as in Fig. 1 andconnected together by rods passing through thecurls or tubular members,the clips an rods being arranged to form a square hollow tube or post.Fig. 11 is a perspective elevation illustrating a structure formed byconnecting a number of clips,- plates and rods.

Referring to the drawings designates the body of one of my improvedclips, which is preferably made of sheet metal and isprovided on its topand bottom edges with resilient tubular members B, curled on the sameside of the sheet to form spring clips, as best shown in Fig. 1. Thesetubular membersare adapted to retain between them an elongated flatmetal plate A? used-in constructing a" toy, and rods hereinafterdescribed, are adapted to pass through said tubular members. v

In Fig. 2 I have shown my improved clip provided on its top and bottomedges with the resilient tubular members B, which extend forwardly andon its lateral edges with similar tubular members which extendrearwardly. The tubular members on each side of the plate are adaptedtoretain between them an elongated, fiat metal plate A used inconstructing a toy, and rods hereinafter described, are adapted to passthrough said tubular members. 7 r

I may also take two flat pieces A, each having two tubular members B,and pivot .them together by a rivet C, with the curls extending awayfrom the adjacent faces of the clips, so that the pieces can be movedabout the pivot in relation to each other, as shown in Fig. "3. 'Again,I make the sheet A as an angle piece, see Fig. 4, with the.

two opposite edges of the angle curled as at B, so as to form fourtubular members and an angle wire D may be inserted in each ad j acenttubular member to reinforce said anglepiece, or I can use a plain anglepiece E, see Fig. 5, and rivet at C, a plate A having the tubularmembers B to each angle, so

that each plate A may be moved about its pivot C and positioned asdesired.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated an oblong sheet'F of metal provided with aplurality of pivotally mounted clips A having on certain of their edgesthe tubular members B,

or I may provide a single elongated sheet of metal F with a plurality oftubular membersB. as shown in Fig. 7

In ,the constructions in which the clips are pivoted together or pivotedto another plate or strip, it is for. the purpose of allowing .thecurled edged plates to be adjusted to any [angle in relation to .eachother or to said plate or strip. D f The other articles I employ are theplam lot or: flat shaped strips A length and of a width or of anysuitable size that can be inserted between the curled'edges B, and incontact with the outer surfaces thereof, and

be held rigidly by the spring of the curled edges or clips so that byusing one or other "of the diflerentkinds of curled clip edged plates astructural toy can be readily ass'embled or disassembled at will. vI-may in the case ofa" single strip A, as

, at'Fig. 1, having two curled edges, connect a" number of themtogether,

say three, or

- more by a rod or rods G'Which are. passed section. This will throughthe curls B and by this means I have a construction in ,which strips maybe positioned side by side-or at an angle to each other or in U-shape orsquarein crossbereadily understood bv f reference to'Figs. Sand 9 whichillustrate a number-of clips joined together by rods G,

which clips can be positioned and held toformation as in Fig. 10 or In.the embodiment of my invention illus-' trated in-F igJIII have showna-series of V pairs of clips All connected together by rods v G, theends I of the rods being to enter the curlsof gated flat plates 'A' bythe icurls'or jaws structure thus formed of one form in which theelements may bebent at angles the clips and the 'elon-' are grasped andheld B'of the, clips. The

assembled.

By adjusting the pieces whichare pivoted togetheror plate, the stripsmaybe positioned at any angle required.

- certain ofits opposite' edges with resilient,

, .What I do claim as my invention is 1 ent for structural toys comsheetmetal member substan- R n a. t tially rectangular in shape provided on 4tubular portions spaced apart and forming a I lewsfor gripping a metalplate between I r throfi' said tub s ,7 v element;fjor structural toyscom;v

them-land for holdmg rods which are passed ar portions.

to the surface of the clip.

is merely illustrative pivoted. to an angle or other 'prising a flatsheet metal member substantlally rectangular in shape provided on itstop and bottom edges with resilient tubular portions arranged at anglesto said member formed by turning back the upper and lower edges of saidflat member to points adjacent 3. Ari element for structural toyscomprising a flat sheet metal member substan- .tially rectangular inshape provided on its top and bottom edges with resilient tubularportions arranged at right angles to said meinberand spaced apart andformingjaws or gripping thelateral edges of a metal plate which isplaced between them, and similar tubular portions provided on thelateral edges of said member and extending in the direction oppositefrom said first named tubular portions and spaced apart and forming jawsedges of ametal plate which is placed between them andholding said lastnamed plate at right angles to the first plate, said tubular portionsbeing also adapted to retain rods which are passed-through the same.

4. A structural toy comprising aplurality of flat members provided oncertain of their edges with resilient tubular portions arranged atangles to'said members and for engaging the lateral spaced apart andforming'jaws, plates held member age the lateral edges of said rodspassing through said tubuy the tubular portions of each which en plates,an

gether;

v In testimony whereof I have hereunto set .my hand in presence of twosubscribing witin portions for securing the members toa

